Sorry Fido: New evidence suggests that pet ownership may not be as beneficial to health as we thought

A furry friend may not be the answer to a Luff life.

Canine companionship has long been a remedy for people looking for comfort and connection, especially when the blockages of the pandemic time had millions of people.

But new research suggests that even in times of extreme social isolation, having a pet does not always improve well -being, and sometimes it worsens.

Researchers at Eötvös Loránd de Budapest University analyzed data of about 3,000 Hungarians, collected for several months by 2020.

Among the participants, 65 acquired a pet while 75 lost one, which asked the team to examine how these changes affected their well -being over time.

The results? It is not exactly the tail of the tail.

The researchers found that the new pet owners experienced a short -lived boost after bringing a dog home, but this initial maximum did not last.

Over time, its calmness, its satisfaction of life, joy and levels of activity decreased.

“What surprised me most was that the new home pet had no effect on the solitude of the respondents,” said Judit Mokos, a data scientist and one of the first authors of the role, in a statement.

“Our research suggests that dogs do not provide a real solution to solitude; rather they make new owners more restless.”

Even more surprising: losing a pet did not affect the well -being of its former owners.

“ It seems that, for at least for stressful periods, the average person, who may not be the main caregiver, but only shares a home with the pet, is not significantly affected by the loss of the pet, nor his well-being is a strong predictor of the decision to make one, ” said Ádám Miklósi, who began collection of animal animals data.

These findings call into question the previous studies that suggest that dog ownership offers a wide range of health benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety, the creation of social connections, the increase in physical activity and a decrease in blood pressure and cholesterol.

“From the data, most people living with a pet do not seem to experiment with a long-term pet effect”, nor are they strongly linked to their animal, “said Eniko Kubinyi, head of the” Momentum Animal “research group Momentum Momentum” Mta-Ett.

“The dynamics of the pandemic may have led many to make impulsive decisions against their long -term interest, or that only certain groups, such as lovers of devoted animals or adults who live alone, really benefit from pets in stressful times.”

The solitude epidemic

Solitude became a bigger problem during the coronavirus pandemic, but studies suggest that half of North -Americans had already experienced it before the outbreak.

And the social fall did not end when it became locks. The research shows that many people, especially adolescents, young adults and the elderly, continued to spend more time at home and less socializing time than before the crisis of public health.

In fact, a 2024 study of the American Psychiatric Association found that 30% of adults felt solos at least once a week last year, with 10% fighting solitude every day.

This is a bigger problem than many realize. Studies show that chronic loneliness can increase the risk of premature death to 15 cigarettes a day.

It is related to heart disease, stroke, cognitive decline, inflammation and a weakened immune system. Solitude is also strongly associated with depression, anxiety, stress and low self -esteem.

In 2023, the General Government, Vive Murthy, stated that “loneliness, isolation and lack of connection to our country” are an “epidemic” and a “public health crisis”.

At the Aspen Ideas Festival last year, Murthy shared three simple daily actions to help the North -Americans reconstruct their social connections.

First, spend 15 minutes each day contacting someone who worries you.

“We have built this cultural narrative over the years that success is independent and being independent is not needing anyone,” said Murthy. “This is what we need to change essentially.”

Secondly, when you are with others, shelves distractions and give your full attention.

“Five minutes of being completely present with someone in conversation is more powerful than 30 minutes of distracted conversation,” he said.

Finally, make the daily service acts priority.

“Service is a very powerful antidote to loneliness, because it not only helps us to connect us, either in the act of helping a person or helping a community, but also reminds us that we have value to bring to the world,” Murthy said.